Why Souness forgetting Celtic's McGregor doesn't wash

Not that Souness will care one jot about yours truly's opinion, but the former Rangers captain is insulting many people's football intelligence with his latest McGregor outburst - including mine. Souness was forced to respond to his over-the-top criticism of McGregor because he got called out on it. Pure and simple. McGregor has been a stalwart for club and country and has 61 caps and scored three goals. Yet he was subjected to serious disrespect from the ex-Liverpool and Scotland midfielder for his part in Scotland's drubbing at the hands of the hosts in the Allianz Arena in Munich on Friday night.

Souness - who was working as a pundit for ITV Sport - was scathing of McGregor as he analysed the loss of Germany's second goal live on air. He laid the blame solely at the door of the 31-year-old Celtic midfielder Instead of calling McGregor by his name, the pundit cited him as the 'Celtic captain'. Souness said: "Gundogan, again, great turn, he slips Havertz in, back to Musiala, wrong-foots the Celtic captain yet again, that's two in the same move.

"He tries to nick it here, Callum McGregor, and he gets back in, he tries to nick it again – just stay goalside and stop the effort on your goal."

It was derogatory. It was dismissive. It was downright disrespectful. It was a cheap shot. It was a deliberate dig at the wrong player who has earned his stripes and respect in the game. That's why I am not buying what Souness is selling with his latest media comments. Souness knew exactly what he was saying. This is what Souness said when he asked to respond to his unfair slaughtering of McGregor.

READ MORE: Rangers idol grilled over 'Celtic captain' Scotland putdown

Souness said: "I can answer that I couldn't remember his name," the 71-year-old said. "But I knew he was captain of Celtic. I was critical of him because if you remember the build-up to the goal, he tried to nick it off [Ilkay] Gundogan and Gundogan turned him.

"He should have just been goal side trying to get a challenge in, but he tried to step in front and nick it. Further on in the same attack which led to the goal, he's tried to nick it off Jamal Musiala again. So twice he's tried to nick it instead of just being strong in the challenge and that would've prevented us conceding that goal.

"I have to say, that question can only arise in the west of Scotland. I forgot his name, I couldn't remember his name but I knew he was a good little football player and if it's been taken as a slant or criticism, I didn't mean it. I genuinely forgot his name."

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Is Souness saying he forgot McGregor's name? He forgot McGregor's name so much that he mentioned it in the second sentence. I'm not having that. I genuinely think Souness is talking rubbish here. The West of Scotland barb is something else that hasn't gone unnoticed. What Souness means here is that it's Celtic supporters who are up in arms about his comments and nobody else. Souness is as divisive a figure as they come.

Souness knew exactly what he was doing when he called McGregor the 'Celtic captain'. He knew fine well that questions would be directed at Scotland boss Steve Clarke and a pile-on would ensue because of McGregor's inclusion in the team. Everybody has 20/20 hindsight but with two words 'Celtic captain', Souness took the pin out of the grenade and lobbed it into the mix. Now McGregor's starting XI status for the Switzerland game has come under intense scrutiny and there are calls for him to be dropped in favour of Brighton and ex-Rangers midfielder Billy Gilmour.

I must be missing something here as I noticed on social media that Gilmour has morphed into Zinedine Zidane all of a sudden in the wake of Souness' criticism of McGregor. Gilmour has featured in over 70 games for Brighton. He has scored no goals and contributed three assists. That Gilmour?

Souness is pandering to one particular club's fanbase with this 'nudge, nudge, wink-wink' stuff. We all know who. Let's not shy away from that. Yet, Souness singled McGregor out for such appalling criticism and treatment. I could have sworn that Angus Gunn, Ryan Porteous, Jack Hendry, Kieran Tierney, Andy Robertson, Tony Ralston, John McGinn, Ryan Christie, Scott McTominay and Che Adams all started alongside McGregor in that woeful first half when all the damage was done.

READ MORE: Facing THAT Graeme Souness Rangers tackle with just one shoe - Billy Stark

Souness really ought to know better. The 71-year-old is hurting at something but only he could explain that. McGregor is hurting too judging by his riposte to Souness' comments after being asked what he thought of the comments: "If anyone has a pop at you, you take it personally and you try and prove them wrong." McGregor has nothing to prove to anybody... Souness or otherwise.

Funnily enough, it was McGregor alongside Clarke who was thrust in front of the TV cameras and the full glare of the media spotlight on Sunday to try and explain away the mauling by the Germans. He's adept at handling these kinds of situations He'll be laser-focused on getting on with the task of trying to help Scotland win six points from their remaining two group matches against Switzerland and Hungary.

Here's another thing while we are on the subject at one point on Friday night ITV also showed Ally McCoist's winning goal against Switzerland in Euro '96 and attempted to paint him as the last player to score for Scotland at a European Championship tournament. Our survey says - wrong.

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That honour goes to McGregor. It was Scotland's only goal of the Euro 2020 competition. ITV had a bout of 'Sounessitis' as they conveniently forgot that football fact too.

Yes, Souness is hurting all right. He's been hurting since Martin O'Neill's Celtic team visited Ewood Park and handed Souness his arse on a plate whilst he was Blackburn Rovers manager during the famous UEFA cup run to Seville in 2003. Souness had riled up Celtic by insisting that the first leg at Celtic Park - which Blackburn also lost 1-0 - was 'men against boys'. That all worked out well for Souness and company in the end, didn't it?

He is also hurting at the fact that McGregor - as if he didn't know - has led his beloved Rangers in the merriest of dances over the last three years and waltzed off as the Scottish Premiership title-winning skipper. In fact, since replacing Scott Brown as the 'Celtic captain', McGregor has won seven out of the nine major honours available to him. He is a class act on and off the park. He is a serial winner. He is the scourge of Rangers. He has 22 winners' medals to his name.

To jog Souness' memory along. He is the Celtic captain. His name is Callum McGregor.